Charles alkins



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. ALKINS. RAILWAY SWITCH STAND.

No. 401,671 Patented Apr. 16. 1889.

minim.

MAMA

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

0. ALKINS. RAILWAY SWITGH STAND.

a n W M W 9 m m "7 ix A; on? 1 m ww 6 J 1 WWW V p A d 6 m 6 mg u a P I A w v a N g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ALKINS, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HENRIETTA ALKINS, OF SAME PLACE.

RAI LWAY-SWITCH STAN D.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 401,671, dated April 16, 1889.

Application filed September 5, 1888. Serial No. 284:,593. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ALKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railway Switch Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to blind or ground switch-stands adapted for railway service and involving a sliding rack-bar which through the medium of a suitable connection is to be connected with a switch, and a gear for operating said sliding rack-bar.

The object of my invention is to adjust or determine the throw of the rack-bar with reference to the desired position of the switchstand relatively to the switch. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in perspective a switch-stand embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on avertical plane taken longitudinally through the sliding rack-bar and transversely through the track and an ordinary split switch. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken transversely through the switch-stand on a plane indicated by dotted line, 3 3, Fig. 2.

In said drawings, Aindicates a sliding rackbar, which is adapted for connection with any ordinary or desired switch through the medium of any suitable connection-as, for eX- ample, through the medium of a rod or link, a-which may be pivotally connected with the rack-bar and also suitably connected with the switch.

The weighted arm or lever B is fixed upon a short rotary shaft, C,which latter is mounted in bearings D D and arranged over and transversely with relation to the sliding rack-bar, whereby a cog, E, which is fixed upon said shaft and arranged between the bearings D D, may directly engage the rack-teeth that are formed upon the rack-bar.

The rack-bar can be shifted longitudinally by swinging the arm or lever to either side, and where the switch is to be operated by a passing train the longitudinal shift of the rack-bar as a result of the shift of the switch will necessarily cause a partial turn of the shaft and hence a swing on the part of the weighted arm to one or the other side, as the case may be.

The bearings D D rise from the base-plate F of the switch-stand, and are desirably arranged so that the space between their opposing vertical sides constitutes a reliable guideway for the reciprocatory rack bar, whereby, while said bearings provide efficient supports for the rotary shaft, they can also serve to guide and steady the rack-bar and prevent cramping between the cog and the rack-teeth.

The base-p1ate F is provided with a chan nel or slot, f, arranged under and coincident with the longitudinal center of the rackbar, which latter is provided on its under side with a pendent pin or stud, a, arranged to extend down into said channel. The length of said channel may for certain kinds of switches be such with relation to the throw of the switch that when, for example, the switch G, Fig. 2, is closed, as shown in said figure, so as to abut against the main track the stud a will be a short distance from and hence not in contact with the end wall of the channel, whereby the full weight of the weighted arm or lever can be utilized for holding the switch in such position. On the other hand, however, the length of the slot can, when so desired, be used to determine the extent of throw on the part of the lever and consequent throw of the switch where the stand is employed in connection with a stub-switch. As a matter of course, the stud could be adjustably secured to the rack-bar, whereby its position could be shifted, or various mechanical ways could be provided for adjusting a stop adapted to form either end wall of the channel.

The raised upper bearing, H, for a rotary signal-rod, I, is arranged to rise from the base of the stand, and said signal-rod is provided with a gear, K, (preferably a segment,) which is engaged by a gear, L, fixed upon one end of the rotary shaft C.

In conclusion, it may be noted that the sliding rack-bar constitutes a straight reciprocating connection between the switch and the cog E and works at all times steadily and true; and also that the working position of the rack-bar may be adjusted relatively to the switchthat is to say, a longitudinal adj ustment of the rack-bar can be made by first freeing the cog from engagement with the rack-bar and then shifting the latter longitudinally .before again placing the cog in place to engage the rack-barand in this connection it will be seen that such adjustment on the part of the rack-bar may be made so as to determine the position of its stud relatively to either end wall of the channel when the rack-bar is at either end of its required stroke.

It is also understood that in practice I prefer providing for the switch-stand a cover M, which serves to protect the gear-wheels and bearings for that shaft, it being observed that the mode of connecting the arm or lever with the cog E by securing them alongside one another on the shaft permits the employment of a comparatively small cog-wheel, E, and also permits the axis of said cog to serve as the axis about which the lever can swing,

whereby a low switch-stand is attained, and that the height thereof is not materially increased by the cover.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a railway-switch stand, the combination of the sliding rack-bar, a cog engaging the same, and a stop device arranged for determining the extent of throw on the part of the rack-bar and consisting of a lug on the rack-bar engaging in a slot in the base of the stand, substantially as set forth.

2. In a railway-switch stand, the combination of the sliding rack-bar which is to c011- nect with the switch, the cog for operating the rack-bar, and the lever connected with the cog, said rack-bar being provided with a stud which extends into a channel in the baseplate of the switch-stand, substantially as and for the purpose described.

CHARLES ALKINS. 

